Reno Gazette-Journal columnist Chris Murray has been known to be a bit wordy, so we're giving him 1,000 words (no more than that) to share his thoughts from the week that was in the world of sports.

* I’LL SET THE OVER/UNDER for NFL games I watch during the 2018 season at 1.5. I figure I’ll watch the Super Bowl because I host a party every year, but outside of that I don't see myself tuning into a game. The NFL’s decision to force players to stand for the national anthem, sit in the locker room or be fined is well within the league’s rights. It’s also going to cost the NFL some viewers. I’ll be among them. The owners showing more concern over the bottom line than the players is the final straw among the myriad fumbles by the league of late.

* IN ITS STATEMENT ABOUT the new policy, the NFL said the move will “keep our focus on the game and the extraordinary athletes who play it.” Of course, the NFL could do that by simply not playing the national anthem before games, which I wrote about several months ago, but the league likes to drape itself in fake patriotism, even charging the Department of Defense money for on-field flag ceremonies and welcome-home tributes for veterans. That’s paid patriotism. If the NFL wants fans to focus on the game, it can skip the anthem and honor our veterans during breaks in action without charging a fee.

* LIKE IT ALWAYS DOES, the NFL even screwed up its delivery of its new policy. The league said the decision was unanimous, but ESPN reported it didn't even hold a vote, and two owners said on the same day the news broke they weren’t fully behind it. Jets co-owner Christopher Johnson said he’ll pay any fines incurred by his players for protesting during the anthem. 49ers owner Jed York said he abstained from the vote, citing a need for more player inclusion in the decision. He added San Francisco won’t sell concessions during the playing of the anthem. “I don't think we should profit during the national anthem,” he said. “If we're going to ask people to be respectful, I think that's something we should do to be successful.”

* IF THE NFL ACTUALLY CARED about “respecting the flag and anthem,” it would make the concessions halt a league-wide policy. It won’t because – you know – money. The funny thing is the policy isn’t too different than the NBA’s rule, which also mandates players stand “in a dignified posture” during the playing of the song. The big difference is the NBA treats its players like humans and valued employees in an equal partnership. They not only allow but also embrace open speech and dialogue on social issues affecting minorities. Just look at the Milwaukee Bucks’ stance this week when video of one of their players getting tased by the police was released. The NFL shudders at any mention of social justice issues to protect the bottom line.

* THE NEW ANTHEM POLICY will likely push away more fans than it saves. Some, like me, don’t really care for a company squashing free speech. Yes, it might save some fans who were off-put by the protests, but the loss of those fans was an overrated angle in the ratings decline (no sport embraces “patriotism” like NASCAR; its ratings have cratered). The NFL has a history of not caring about minorities. It has allowed a team to be called the Redskins (anti-Native American sentiment). It was lax on domestic violence issues (anti-women sentiment). It has never had an African-American principal owner despite 70 percent of its players being black (anti-African-American sentiment). Now throw in the NFL showing minimal support for social inequalities or for the players – Colin Kaepernick – who champion those issues, and it's pretty clear where the league's priorities lie.

* SO I’M DONE WATCHING the NFL, and it’s not just because of the anthem or the treatment of Kaepernick, although those both play a big part. The violence and after-effects of repeated brain damage plays a role. The insistence on keeping the Redskins nickname plays a role. So, too, is the general poor quality of play. It’s not an entertaining product for the most part. And the league has allowed murderers, rapists, dopers, domestic abusers, dog fighters and other sordid types to play in the league. But if you peacefully protest some of the issues we face in our country – like Kaepernick did – you’re gone. And so too am I.

* PRESIDENT TRUMP ISSUED A posthumous pardon to boxer Jack Johnson 72 years after his death. It was long overdue. Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion, was convicted for transporting a white woman, whom he would later marry, across state lines for “immoral purposes,” a violation of the Mann Act. His most famous fight – the most famous of the 1900s – was a 15th-round knockout of the Great White Hope, James Jeffries, in Reno in 1910. The arena was built a few blocks from where the RGJ sits. I drive by it every day. It’s now a scrap heap. The site, near Fourth and Toano streets, should be a museum commemorating that fight and his life. It’s the greatest sporting event in Nevada’s 154-year history.

* WHEN THE SILVER STATE TURNED 150, I ranked the top-150 sports stories in Nevada’s history. That Johnson-Jeffries fight topped my list, but it could be unseated if the Vegas Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup. Their run to the finals is already a top-five story in the state’s history, and while it will be hard to match the cultural significance of the Johnson-Jeffries fight, the Golden Knights would be the most improbable team to win a championship in America’s big four sports. A Golden Knights win won’t resonate or impact as many people as the Johnson-Jeffries fight, but it would be remembered forever beyond the state's borders.

Columnist Chris Murray provides insight on Northern Nevada sports. Contact him at cmurray@rgj.com or follow him on Twitter @MurrayRGJ.